Motor-driven target-throwing machine



Nov. 27 1923.,

C. H. NAPIER MOTOR DRIVEN TARGET THROWING MACHINE Filed Feb. AlO 1922 Aja/611%() f1.'

Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES CHARLES H. NAPIER, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

MOTOR-DRIVEN TARGET-THROWING MACHINE.

Application led February 10, 1922. Serial No. 535,471.

To all whom t 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. NAPIER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Motor- Driven Target-Throwing Machines, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to motor driven mechanism particularly suitable for energizing the driving springs of the throwing arms. In the patentfto Napier, 1,376,825, Motor May 3, 1921, there is disclosed a motor driven target-throwing machine designed particularly for use in connection with reciprocating throwing devices. In the present case the machine is designed with partcular reference to operating, rotating, or oscillating throwing devices and the objects of the present invention are to greatly simplify machines of this general class andimprove their operation by eliminating shocks and vibrations in the mechanism. A further object of the invention is to provide for a considerable increase in rapidity of operation of targetthrowing`mechanisms and to eliminate all needless lost motion by arranging a continuously operating driving mechanism suitable for picking up and restoring the throwing arm immediately after a throwing operation when this arm slows down in speed t0 the speed of the driving or spring tensioning mechanism.

The objects of the invention are accomplished by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of a motor driven target-throwing machine constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 shows the machine inside elevation andrwith parts thereof in section.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of thc latching and releasing mechanism for the Ithrowing arm.

While the mechanism herein disclosed is suitable for operating reciprocating or oscillating throwing devices, in order to reduce to a minimum, inertia and lost motion, it is preferred to provide the machine with a rotary throwing arm, one-half of its mo- .tion being employed to tension the driving spring while the other half of its rotation is utilized in propelling the target. In order to effect the purposes of the invention, a continuously driven wheel-shaped member drive for target-throwing machines,l

is located below the target-tlirowing arm provision be'ng made for automatically clutching and unclutching the wheel-shaped member with the target-throwing arm so that whenever this arm is employed for throwing the target i-t will be promptly picked up and restored to its initial position and there automatically latched. Rigid with the throwing arm is a crank to which is connected the operating Spring. Electromagnetic means are.l provided for releasing when desired the target-throwing arm and permitting it to throw a target under the rapid action of the operating spring. The entire mechanism may be -tilted'as a unit on a pivotal connection with a supporting base in order to control the rajectory of the target.

Referring to the drawings, the fixed base 1 is shown as supporting at the bearing frame and casing 3 for the motor 4, driving mechanism 5 and 'target-throwing arm 6. The driving mechanism includes pinions and gears 7 to 10 which serve to transmit motion from the motor 4 to a sleeve 11 rotatably mounted within the bearing 12 and to which is fast, gear 10 and a rotary spring tensioning wheel 13. This wheel is arranged to be clutched and unclutched from the throwing mechanism comprising the throwing arm 6, shaft 28, and crank 14. The shaft 28 is rotatable within the sleeve 11 and is provided with a squared end 15 serving to rigidly connect it with the throwing arm 6. The crank 14 is pivotally connected at its outer end with a link 16 extending between the crank and the throwthrowing arm is substantially located as 1 illustrated in Figure 1, a pin 21 projecting Vfrom the side of lthe pawl 19 rides up the surface of a fixed cam 22. The throwing arm is by this means disengaged from the driving wheel 13 when the throwing arm spring 17 is under substantially maximum tension. Arm 6 is retained in the position in which it is shown in Figure 1 by a lug 23 on the lower surface of the arm coming into engagement with a stop 24. This stop is movable along its axis under the action of the surrounding electro-magnetic coil 25. Accordingly when the circuit of the coil is closed, its core 24 is drawn downwardly thus releasing the throwing mechanism. The rate of rotation of the throwing arm under the action of spring 17 greatly exceeds the normal rate of rotation of the driving member 13 but after the target is projected from the throwing arm and the speed of this arm reduces to that of the wheel 13 the arm is picked up and rotated back to its home position by the engagement of teeth 18 with the pawl on the arm. The driving spring 17 is thus immediately reltensioned after a firing operation and therefore the latter may take place in rapid succession.

The vertical angle of the throwing arm is controlled by the, hand wheel 26 rotatably mounted upon the base l and having threaded engagement with a screw 27 depending from the casing 3. The entire operating mechanism including the throwing arm is therefore tilted as a unit.

In operation of the device, with the motor continuously driving theJ gearing, the sleeve 11 and Vclutch wheel 13 are constantly rotated at any desired speed. Each time the circuit of a solenoid 25 is closed the throwing arm is released and rotated through a semi-circular path under the action of the driving spring 17 which spring is connected at one end with the crank arm 14 rigid with the shaft 11 of the throwing arm. When the arm 6 has exceeded a half rotation and its conti-nued rotation is checked by the spring 17 due to the crank arm passing the dead center, the throwing arm is picked up by wheel 13 and positively driven in the same direction as indicated by the arrowin Figure 1 until the spring is again fully tensioned and the arm unclutched from the wheel 13 due to the pawl riding up over-cam 22. By this time the crank arm 14 has passed'the opposite dead center position and the arm would be again driven under the action of the spring 17 were it not for the solenoid stop 24.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departin from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A throwing machine of the class described, comprising a motor, a rotatable throwing mechanism, a spring for operating said throwing mechanism, means driven by said motor for tensioning said spring,

and a clutch arranged to connect said tensioning means with said throwing mechanism and being adapted to permit the releasey of said throwing mechanism when the speed ot the latter exceeds the speed of said tensioning means, said clutch and tensioning means being relatively arranged so as to permit the connection of said throwing mechanism and tensioning means substantially immediately when the speed of rotation of the former is reduced to the speed of the latter.

2. A throwing machine ot the class described, comprising a rotatable throwing mechanism,'a spring Afor driving said mechanism, a motor having connections for tensioning said spring, releasable means for latching said 'throwing mechanism against. operation in a retracted position, and automatic means for rendering said spring tensioning mechanism eiiective substantially immediately after the speed of rotation of the throwing mechanism is reduced to the speed of said tensioning mechanism at the end of each operation of said throwing mechanism, said automatic means being inoperative when said throwing mechanism occupies said retracted position.

3. A throwing machine of the class described, comprising a rotatably mounted throwing element, a spring for driving said element, releasable means for holding said throwing element in a retracted position, a. motor, a driving connection including a rotatable member interposed between said motor and said rotatable throwing element, and. a pair of coacting clutch elements on said throwing element and rotatable driving member, said clutch elements being adapted to become disengaged when the speed of said throwing element exceeds the speed of rotation of said driving member and being relatively arranged so as to connect said throwing element with said driving meinber substantially immediately when the speed of the Jformer is reduced to that of the latter.l said clutch elements bein also disengaged when said throwing mec anism occupies said retracted position.

4. A throwing machine of the class described, comprising a frame, a throwing member rotatably mounted in said frame, a spring having a driving connection with said throwing element, a motor, and means driven by said motor for rotating the throwing element and thereby tensioning said spring, said means including a ratchet wheel adapted for rotation at a constant speed, a pawl carried by said throwing element and coacting with said ratchet wheel, and a fixed cam over which said pawl is adapted to pass and be cammed out of engagement with said ratchet wheel when said throwing element occupies a retracted position, said pawl being arranged to ride idly over said ratchet when the Speed of said throwing element eX- over which said pawl is adapted to pass and ceeds the speed of said ratchet and ,being be cammed out of engagement with said adapted to coact with said ratchet substanratchet wheel when said throwing element 20 tially immediately when the speed of Said occupies a retracted position, said pawl bethrowing element is reduced to the speed of ing arranged to ride idly over said ratchet the ratchet. when theespeed of said throwing element 5. A throwing machine of the class deexceeds the speed of said ratchet and being scribed, comprising a frame, a throwing adapted to coact with said ratchet substan- 25 member rotatably mounted in said trame, tially immediately when the speed of said a spring having a driving connection with throwing element is reduced to the speed of said throwing element, a motor, means they ratchet, and an electro-magnetically opdriven by said motor for rotating the throwerated latching and releasing means for said ing element and thereby tensioning said throwing arm. 30

spring, said means includmg a ratchet wheel Signed at Cleveland, O., this 7th day of adapted for rotation at a constant Speed, a Feb., 1922.

paw] carried by said throwing element and coacting with said ratchet wheel, a Xed cam CHARLES H. N APIER. 

